councils, both of the house of Auftria and the republic of Venice, for most of their European provinces. The people, from this caufe, generally preferred a fubmiffion to the Mahometan government, (which was favourable enough to them in religious matters, and perhaps not more oppreffive in civil) than to the intoferant principles of their Chriftian neighbours. Now that Rusia is arrived at great power and dignity, thefe people look up to her, not only as the preferver of their reli gion, but as their natural protector, and the restorer of the Greek empire.

Notwithstanding thefe appearances, the Porte is not yet wholly deftitute of refources both in money and men; nor did the Turkish foldiers feem to want their ancient valour in the last campaign, till the continued ill conduct of their commanders, put an end at once both to hope and to courage. The enemy are also obliged to carry on the operations of war, at a vaft distance from the fource which fupplies it. To fupport a great army in fuch a fituation, to guard the convoys, and preferve the neceffary communications, muft be attended with almoft infuperable difficulties. Thefe will still be increased in a manifold degree, if the Ruffians attempt to extend the war to the Bulgarian fide of the Danube. Without confidering the doubtful chances of war, and the uncertainty of continuing at all times masters in the field; or without taking into account the favage face of that province, every where interfected by the great branches of mount Hemus, and forming a natural check upon the operations

of great or regular armies; the dangers of advancing into an hoftile country, with fuch a river as the Danube, and fuch an enemy as the Tartars in the rear, are fo obvious as not to require any illuftration.

Those who had talked of the Ruffian's penetrating speedily and easily to Conilantinople, feem, along with numberless other difficulties, to have overlooked the fituation of Romania, which is fe ced by nature with fuch boundaries, as make it nearly impregnable on the land fide. So great an operation would require their being first mafters of the Black Sea; nor is it to be supposed that the other European powers would behold with a total indifference, so great an acceffion of power, to a ftate which they already regard as too formidable.

Such feems to be the fituation and mutual difficulties of the two great contending powers. In number of troops, in difcipline, in marine, even in pecuniary refources, Ruffia feems much fuperior. The Turks derive their advantages from the difficult nature of their pontic country; from the jealousy of other European ftates; and from the unfettled ftate of the throne in Ruffia.

The unhappy country of Poland continues a victim to all the calamities that attend a weak government, and the nearness of too potent neighbours. Plundered alike by friends and foes, without a hope of advantage from the fuccefs of either, her beft blood flows in torrents, fhed by unavailing efforts which are only expreffive of her defpair. The cruel manners of the contending nations, add to the hor

[B 3]

rors

rors of her fituation, which are heightened by national animofity, and the mortal hatred that recipro cal injuries have excited between the Ruffians and Poles.'

It is the interest of all the potent ftates, that furround this large and once great country, never to fuffer it to emerge out of its prefent wretched fituation. The officious neighbours have too great a regard for its conftitution, to admit the natural physicians to prefcribe any thing for its benefit. Its original misfortune was the pride and tyranny of the nobles, which prevented them for feveral ages, while it was in their power, from eftablishing a happy form of government. If this had been done, they might have been one of the greateft nations in Europe; they are now the most miferable, and little lefs than a miracle can ever afford ano, ther opportunity of making trial of their virtue.

The fuccefs of the Ruffians against the Turks, and the apparent in difference of the other neighbour. ing powers, muft cut off every fhadow of hope from the confederates. By this means it is probable that the people may enjoy fome quiet, if not fecurity. What would be deemed the greatest misfortune to all other nations, feems to be the greatest happiness that could befal this; to become a province to fome neigbouring power, would at prefent be a bleffing indeed. This, in the natural course of things, muft fooner or later happen; and though it fhould be to the most defotic of them, which probably will be the cafe, ftill it would be a happy exchange. The Ruffians now appoint a king of oland as they do a duke of Cour

land, and have just as much right to do one as the other. Can the wretched name of king, the empty title of republic, or the ridiculous pageantry of a court, be thought equivalent to the calamities to which the miserable Poles are every day fubject?

The emperor of Germany, tho' deeply interested in its confequences, has not interfered in the war. His conduct however seems myfterious. His armies are large, complete, and ready for action; camps are frequenly formed in Bohemia and Hungary; the magazines are kept ftored, and great bodies of troops lie upon the fron tiers. The present situation of the war, being upon the Danube, brings it home to the Auftrian dominions. Many occafions will neceffarily follow of communication and interference, and opportunities must be given of fhewing favour or diflike. A powerful neighbour, fupported by great military force, and not afraid of either of the warring par ties, is almost as troublesome to them, when his territories lie intermingled with those in contention, as they are ruinous and deftructive to a weak and defencelefs ftate in the fame fituation. Chance, heat, or danger, neceffa rily occafion a violation of territory, and irregular troops will commit exceffes in the most friendly country; all which produce altercations, and often something worse.

Nothing could be more oppofite to the intereft of the house of Auftria, nor perhaps fo dangerous to its fecurity, as that Ruffia fhould extend its power on the fide of Turky. Its obtaining any footing near the Danube, would be a cir

cum

cumftance of the moft alarming It is not then to be fuppofed, that an active youthful prince, at the head of great armies, and poffeffed of great refources, would look tamely on, at fo dangerous and unwelcome an intrufion. It is rather to be imagined, that, prepared as he is for all conféquences, le views attentively the courfe of the war, and waits till the temper of the hoftile powers will admit of his effectually employing his mediation for a

peace.

The king of Pruffia obferves the fame reserve in this refpect, that the emperor has done. He is alfo armed, and equally guarded against all events. It is poffible, that as thefe princes feem now to be upon a very friendly footing, this object may appear to them both in the fame point of view. This would certainly be their intereft; however their connections, their alliances, and their mutual jealoufies, may prevent it.

The king has however upon all occafions condemned the conduct of the Polish confederates, and feverely reprehended, and fome times chaftized, fome parties of them that made accidental incurfrons upon his territories. In other refpects this prince pays his ufual attention to the good of his fubjects, and to the increafing of the commerce in his dominions; and among other regulations for the eafe and conveniency of the mer chants, has eftablished a bank and lombard at Embden, and a partícular bank at Berlin, befides the general one already there.

The king of Denmark proceeds in the fame good difpofitions to his people, and the fame patriotic

intentions, that we have before had fo much pleafure in taking notice of. The time he spent in his tour to other countries, he fhews was wifely laid out for the good of his own, He is now accordingly copying in his own dominions, thofe inftitutions whofe utility more immediately ftruck him when he was abroad. Among other inftances of this nature he has eftablished a Royal Society of Agriculture, and to honour and encourage it has declared himself its protector. This fociety, which includes arts as well as agriculture, the king has endowed with a confiderable fum, which is to be disposed of in prizes, for the encouragement of experiments in agriculture, and of ingenious artificers. His majefty being alfo ftruck at the fight of the royal foundation at Chellea, he has given direction for the building an hofpital, for the reception of fuperannuated foldiers; and adds to this munificence, by forming an eltablishment for foldiers widows and children. The fame humanity has induced him to order two hofpitals, one at Copenhagen, and the other at Bergen, to be founded for the reception of disabled feamen.

We have before taken notice of the attention the king of Denmark fhewed in the beginning of his reign, to the oppreffions which the peasants fuffered; as well as the pains he had taken, and the example he had fet, to free them from their fervitude He has this year paffed an ordinance which has given the most univerfal fatisfaction, and which regards the fharing their eftates and effects among their children. By this decree, the eldeft child, male or female, fhall, [B 4]

upon

upon the decafe of its parents, be entitled to one half, and no more, of their effects and poffeffions; and the other moiety is to be divided equally among the reft of the children, whether male or female; but if there be but two children, then the cftate and effects of the deceated are to be equally fhared.

Thefe numerous regulations and establishments have not diverted his attention from commerce; a fubject which mankind at length begin to understand, and which feems now to occupy the thoughts of almost every civilized nation. Upon this principle he has declared Guckitat, a ftrong town fituated near the mouth of the river Elbe, a free port, and has abolished all duties on veffels that may país the winter there, as well as on merchandize, whether brought to the place, or only paffing through. How much more liberal as well as politic are there fentiments than thofe of his ancellor, who attempted to make all fhips that paffed up or down the river, to pay a toll!

In respect to foreign affairs, the court of Copenhagen feems intimately connected with that of Peterburg. In confequence of this connection, upon fome extraordinary appearances in Sweden, and the apparent prevalence of the French party there, the king fitted out early in the feafon, a fquadron of dight men of war of the line, and two frigates. This fleet continued armed and ready for fervice the whole fummer, and probably had a great effect upon the meafures pursued in that country.

The extraordinary affembly of the ftates in Sweden, was not attended with the confequences,

which it is probably the oppofite parties feared or hoped. No change has been made in the form of government, nor has the king's power been enlarged. He is however emanc pated out of the hands of an arbitrary fenate, who were determined to thwart him in every inftance, and whofe infolence he experienced upon every occafion, The French intereft, which had a principal fhare in calling the diet, has fully fucceeded in establishing its own influence, which now predominates, and will probably contine to do fo, in the councils of that kingdom.

Great heats arofe between the king and the fenate, about the place to be appointed for the afiembling of the ftates. The king wifhed and propofed Stockholm; but the fenate appointed Norkioping for the place of meeting. It is true that this place had been appointed, at the breaking up of the laft diet, for their next meeting; but this agreement was not at all binding on the king and fenate, who might appoint any. other place that was more conve nient. The king fhewed the great inconveniences that would attend meeting at this town, which is above ninety miles from Stockholm. That the fenate, who are obliged by their duty to fit in Stockholm, are obliged by the fame duty to compofe a part of the diet, and that to fulfil both at once, would be to effect an impoffibility. Nothing could however conquer the obfinacy of the fenate, who feemed mechanically to oppofe the king in every thing. Without perhaps confidering, that feafonable and rational conceffion, would better anfwer the purpofes

of

of the Ruffian and English intereft, which they had been fuppofed to efpoufe; and would give fewer, and lefs plaufible pretences to their enemies. They, however, abiolutely refufed a compliance with the king's request, and contended, that the senate thould be divided, one part of it to remain in Stockholm, and the other to attend the diet.

The king upon this delivered a declaration to the fenate, which he got printed and published; in which he fhewed that this propofed division of it, was not only contrary to the fundamental laws of the kingdom, but in itself impoffible; that the fenate ought to have the king at the head of it: that he could not be at two places at the fame time; and, therefore, that part of the fenate, where he did not prefide, could not be authorized to tranfact any business of the state. He farther declared, that he could not but confider this ftep as an alteration of the conftitution of the state; as an infringement of the royal prerogative; and as an ufurped authority, which never was, nor never could be acknowledged, while the regal power, and that of the ftates, remained entire.

May 6.

In the mean time, fome motions that were made in the difpofition of the troops, and fome measures that were taken for completing the regi ments, having alarmed the neighbouring powers of Ruffia and Den mark, the king caufed a declaration to be delivered to all the foreign minifters, in which he totally difclaimed the smalleft intention of difturbing the public tranquillity. He declares that the interior affairs of the kingdom were the fole motive for convoking the states; and that from the harreny that prevailed in their deliberations, he did not doubt but all their refolutions would concur with his own patriotic views. He concludes by declaring, that if any thing fhould happen to disturb the tranquillity of the north, he never would have any occafion to reproach himself with having been in the least the cause of it.

Notwithstanding the good humour of the affembly, the court failed in the grand point for which it was convoked. Several new ordinances were propofed, which would have made a great, if not a total alteration in the prefent

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